Latch



F. M. HOGG LATCH Jan. 26, 1943.

Filed June 13, 1941 inventor; Francis M. l-1o M4 Hs Attorney.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 LATCH Francis M. Hogg, Findley Lake, N. Y.,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication .lune 13, 1941, Serial No. 397,881

4 Claims.

This invention relates to latches for doors of refrigerator cabinets andthe like.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved latchassembly having smooth and positive operating characteristics,

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a. part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a partial exploded view, partlyin section, of a household type refrigerator provided with a door latchembodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and illus-Q trating details of myinvention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the latch bolt and associatedparts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and Fig. 4 is a perspective exploded viewof the door strike and associated parts used in connection with thelatch bolt shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In the drawing there is illustrated a door I adapted to close a dooropening in a casing or cabinet such as a refrigerator cabinet, a portionof the cabinet adjacent the free edge of the door being indicated by thenumeral II. comprises an inner door or liner I2 and an outer wall orcasing I 3 maintained in spaced apart relation, the space therebetweenbeing filled with suitable heat insulating material I4. The outer casingis curved adjacent the edges thereof and provided'with a rearwardly andthen inwardly directed flange I5, the flange I5being disposed in theassembled position of the parts in alignment with the inner door I2. Thespace between the inner and outer members I2 and I3 is closed by abreaker strip I6 of suitable heat insulating material such as anon-metallic nonhygroscopic material, for example a resinous productknown to the trade under the trade names Bakelite, Textolite, etc. Inorder to retain the breaker strip in position, suitable bezels Il may beprovided.

The adjacent wall of the refrigerator deiining the door openingcomprises an inner casing I8 and an outer casing I9, having inwardlydirected flanges and 2I, respectively. The space between the casings I8and I9 is filled with suitable heat insulating material 22. 'Ihe spacebetween the flanges 20 and 2l is closed by a strip 23 of thermallyresistant material which may be the same as that used for the breakerstrip i6. 'I'he 'I'he door I0' heat insulating material.

breaker strip 23 may be maintained in position by any desired means.

In order to seal the space between the cabinet wall and the door aroundthe door opening in the closed position of the door I have provided asuitable gasket or sealing member 23 preferably of relatively resilientmaterial such as rubber, for example. As shown in Fig. 2 th'e door Illis arranged to overlap the walls of the refrigerator.

In order to maintain the door in its closed position there is provided alatch mechanism 25A in association with the door, and a lock keeper orstrike mechanism 23 associated with the cabinet.

The strike assembly comprises a generally channel-shaped strike member2l and a strike base 28. The strike base 23 -is generally of T-shapedformation and comprises a, central outwardly directed portion 29 and legor transversely extending portions 30. In-order to maintain the strikebase in position there is provided a supporting member or block 3Iformed of suitable The insulating block is attached at one end thereofto the inner casing I8 as by means of a threaded member 32 extendingthrough a suitable opening in the inwardly directed flange 2li of theinner casing intoA threaded engagement with a suitably tapped opening inthe block 3l. The other end of the supporting insulating block issecured to the outer casing I9 in any suitable manner as by means of asupport 33 and a rearwardly directed portion 34 of the ange 2|, thelatter members being suitably secured together as by welding, forexample. The block 3| may be secured to the support 33 as by means of asuitably threaded member 35 extending through a suitable opening in theblock 3| into threaded engagement with a suitably tapped opening in thesupport 33. In the form of my invention illustrated in the drawing, Ihave illustrated the use of two members 35 for this purpose, the members35 also serving to support the strike block 28 and the support 3|, thefastening members 35 extending through suitable openings in thetransversely or laterally extending arms 30 of the strike block.

I have shown the strike 21 secured to the strike block 28 by the use ofa pair of threaded fastening members extending through Alongitudinallyextending slots 38 in the outer face of the strike member into threadedengagement with suitably tapped openings 3l in the strike block. 'I'hestrike 21 is provided with side and end portions, the latter serving toengage the bolt of the latching mechanism. The longitudinally extendingslots 36 are provided in order to permit the longitudinal adjustment ofthe strike in order to provide adjustment of the latch mechanism as awhole.

I have provided means for locking the strike 21 in the desired position.For this purpose there is provided a recess 38 in the face of the strikeblock adjacent the strike 21 and a curved lock washer 38. When theadjusting screws 46 are tightened the ends of the lock washer will bedrawn into biting engagement with the inner surface of the strike,thereby tending to retain the strike in the desired position. The curvedrecess and curved lock washer also serve to provide a self-aligningarrangement.

'I'he latching mechanism is located between the inner and outer casingsor walls of the door. There is provided a support 4I having spaced apartsides 42 and 43 joined at the outer end by u. connecting portion ormember 44. Aligned openings 45 and 46 in the connecting member 44 andthe outer case I3 of the door, respectively, are arranged to provide anopening for the external latch operating mechanism. As shown, I haveprovided an externally threaded bushing 41 having a bore or openingextending therethrough. A suitably internally threaded fastening membersuch as a nut 48 is threaded into engagement with the bushing 41 toretain the outer end of the support 4| in position. The inner ends ofthe arms 42 and 43 are provided with laterally extending Wings orportions 49 and 5U, respectively, the wings being provided withlaterally extending flanges 5I and 52, respectively. The flanges providemeans for securing the inner end of the support 4I to the flange I5 ofthe outer case; suitable supporting members 53 being interposed betweenthe flanges 5| and 52 and the flange I5. The supporting members 53 aresecured in any suitable fashion to the inner surface of the flange I5 asby welding for example, and the supporting members and anges 5I and 52may be suitably connected together as by means of threaded fasteningmembers 54 extending through suitable openings in the supporting memberinto threaded engagement with suitably threaded recesses in the flanges5I and 52.

In order to retain the door in closed position there is provided a latchbolt 55 arranged for engagement with the strike 21 as indicated by thedot-dash line in Fig. 2, the strike extending through a suitable opening14 into the interior of the door. The latch bolt is pivotally mounted atone end between the arms 42 and 43 by means of a pin 56 extendingthrough the latch bolt and being journaled in suitable openings orcollars as indicated by the numeral 56a in the arms 42 and 43 adjacentthe free ends thereof. The latch bolt is so positioned that in theclosed position of the door the latch bolt enters the recessed portionof the strike member and the outer curved surface of the latch boltengages the edge of the outer flange of the strike 21.

- by serving as a spring abutment.

In the 1fach illustrated herein 1 have provided means for transmittingmotion of an operating handle 18 to the bolt 55. The handle is suitablyand pivotally supported on the outer surface of the casing I3 by meansof a substantially U- shaped supporting member 51 suitably retained onvthe outer casing. The support 51 may most conveniently be provided byarranging the same for reception on the bushing 41, the assembly be-ingsecured by the nut 48. The handle 18 is supported from the support 51 bymeans of a pin 58 extending through the handle and journaled at the endsthereof in the arms of the support 51. In order to provide a finishedand decorative appearance to the latch there is provided a suitablehousing 58. In order to transmit the motion of the handle 18 to thelatch bolt 55 there is provided a plunger 60 slidably positioned withinan opening or passage 6I of substantial length extending through thebushing 41. The plunger is provided with a reduced end 62 which extendsthrough a supporting plate 63 suitably supported between the arms 42 and43. A separate, removable pin suitably secured to the plunger may besubstituted, if desired, for the end 62. The inner end of the pin or thereduced'end of the plunger is suitably secured to a clevis 64 as bymeans of threaded engagement with a collar 65, the latter being securedto or integral with the cross portion of the clevis. The latch bolt 55is provided with a pair of side plates 66 suitably secured to the latchbolt as by means of a pin or a rivet 61 extending through the latch boltand suitable openings in the latch plates and also by the pin 56. Theside plates are preferably received in recesses in the side faces of thelatch bolt so that the side plates and the remaining portion of the sidefaces lie in the same plane. The side plates are pivotally associatedwith the clevis 64 as best seen in Fig. 3, the members being joined inpivotal relationship by means of the pin 68 extending through the sideplates and the arms of the clevis. The parts are maintained in theirlatching position by means of a spring lll extending between the innerend of the plunger 60 and the plate 63, the latter there- As seen inFig. 2 the member 63 also serves as a stop limiting the movement of themechanism in the latching position, the collar 65 on the clevis engagingthe inner face of the plate in the limiting position.

It will be seen that when the operating handle 18 is moved away from theouter door, clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1, engagement between the camportion 1I of the handle will cause the plunger 60 and the pin or end 62to move inwardly thereby causing the latch bolt 55 to move in acounter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 about the pin 56.

Because the latch bolt, and therefore the side plates 66, move pivotallyabout the pin 56 the pin 68 joining the side plates to the clevis willalso move in an arc. The result is that the clevis, pin 62, and plunger60 have a tendency to move laterally as well as longitudinally duringoperation of the latch. I have provided means for minimizing anytendency for binding because of this sidewise or lateral movement. Ihave provided an arrangement by means of which plate 63 is free to movelaterally or transversely of the longitudinal axis of the pin 62 as thelatch is operated. For this purpose I have provided a pair of spacedapart projecting portions or members 15 on the inner face of the arm 42of the support 4I and a similar pair of spaced apart guide members 16 onthe inner face of the arm 43 opposite to the members 15. These membersthereby form slots disposed in association with the inner faces of theside arms and extending transversely of the pin 62 in order slidably toreceive the member 63. Thus, as the pin 62 moves inwardly and the partsheretofore mentioned attempt to move transversely the member 63 willshift transversely to accommodate any similar movement of the operatingmechanism.

I have also provided the plunger 60 with an enlarged portion slidablyengaging the walls of the passage or bore 6l in order to provide apartial seal and having a limited area of engagement with the walls ofthe passage as a rounded portion l1 of substantially the same diameteras the internal diameter of the bore 6| of the bushing 41 which permitsthe plunger and pin 62 to rock slightly on the surface of the enlargedportion to further permit lateral movement of the operating mechanism.

In order to seal the space between the enlarged portion 11 and the bore41 of the bushing, I provide a lubricating material such as a suitablegrease, for example, on the surface of the rounded portion 1l, thegrease thereby serving to seal the space between the enlarged portionand the bushing. In this manner, the enlarged portion 'Il serves as asealing gland for restricting the now of air between the interior andexterior of the door member I0.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention,modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. For example,instead of disposing the member or plate 63 between recesses or slotsformed by projections 15 and 16, I may provide slots or openings in theopposite arms 42 and d3 and provide ears on the sides of the plate 63extending into the slots, the slots or openings being sufciently long inthe direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pin 62 topermit transverse movement of the plate. Further, the side plates 66 maybe so constructed that engagement between edges thereof and the innerface of the plate 63 serves to limit movement of the latching mechanismin the latching direction. Therefore, I do not desire my invention to belimited to the particular construction shown and described and I intendin the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit andscope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A latch assembly comprising a support having spaced apartsides'joined at one end by a connecting member, a latch bolt pivotallymounted between said sides adjacent the other end thereof, saidconnecting member having an opening therethrough, a plunger extendingthrough said opening, means for actuating said plunger, and meansdisposed between said plunger and said latch bolt for transmitting themotion of said plunger to said bolt, means normally urging said plungeroutwardly and said bolt into the latching position, said meanscomprising a stopv member disposed between said sides and spring meansextending between said stop member and said plunger, said stop memberhaving an aperture for said plunger, and means for permitting said stopmember and said plunger to move transversely during operation` of saidlatching means thereby preventing binding of the parts during operationof the latch.

2. A latch assembly comprising a support having spaced apart sidesjoined at one end by a connecting member, a latch bolt pivotally mountedbetween said sides adjacent the other end thereof, said connectingmember having an opening therein, a plunger slidably positioned in saidopening, means for actuating said plunger, and means disposed betweensaid plunger and said latch bolt for transmitting the motion of saidplunger to said bolt, means normally urging said plunger outwardly andsaid bolt into the latching position, said means comprising a stopmember disposed between said sides and spring means extending betweensaid stop member and said plunger, said stop member having an aperturefor said plunger, and means for permitting said stop member and saidplunger to move transversely during operation of said latching meansthereby preventing binding of the parts during operation of the latch,said last-mentioned means including a slot disposed in association witheach of said sides and extending transversely of said pin for slidablyreceiving said stop member.

3. A latch assembly comprising a support hav.- ing spaced apart sidesjoined at one end by a connecting member, a latch bolt pivotally mountedbetween said sides adjacent the other end thereof, means providing apassage through said connecting member, a plunger slidably positioned insaid passage, said plunger having an enlarged rounded portion forengagement with the walls of said passage, means for actuating saidplunger, and means disposed between said plunger and said latch bolt fortransmitting the motion of said plunger to said bolt, means normallyurging said plunger outwardly and said bolt into the latching position,said last-mentioned means comprising a stop member disposed between saidsides and spring means extending between said stop member and saidplunger, said stop member having an aperture for said plunger, and meansfor permitting said stop member to move transversely during operation ofsaid latching means, said rounded portion and said stop membercooperating to permit the movable parts of said latch to shift laterallyduring operation thereof and thereby minimize binding of said parts.

4. A latch assembly comprising a support having spacedA apart sidesjoined at one end by a connecting member, a latch bolt pivotally mountedbetween said sides adjacent the other end thereof, means providing apassage of substantial length through said connecting member, a

plunger slidably positioned in said passage, means for actuating saidplunger, and means disposed between said plunger and said latch bolt foractuating said bolt when said plunger is actuated and therebytransmitting motion of said plunger to said bolt, said plunger beingprovided with an enlarged portion slidably engaging the walls of saidpassage to provide a partial seal and having a suiliciently limitedrarea of engagement with the walls of said passage to permit rocking ofsaid plunger with respect to said walls, said passage being adapted toreceive lubricating material for further sealing the space between saidenlarged portion and said passage.

FRANCIS M. HOGG.

